MNeu Wiki Articles/CyberTransplantation
"CyberTransplantation" is a revolutionary technological project that FedCom has been working on since the beginning of February, 2009. The project is a unique approach to transhumanism and life-extension/enhancement, which has grown to have a fundamental impact on the development of FedCom culture. In short, the ambitious program's ultimate goal is the successful removal of a living human central nervous system, and the implantation of such into a robotic total-body prosthesis (a form of cyborg). Such individuals would be called "cytrans" (a portmanteau of Cyber and Transplant). Participation in the project is purely voluntary, and only available to FedCom's citizens. Presently, 39 of FedCom's 56 citizens (69.6%) have expressed the desire to become a cytran, and the appeal continues to grow as the benefits become more apparent. FedCom's scientists and engineers believe the technology can be ready for human trials within the next 25 years, barring any major setbacks. Cytran Appearance: *Cytrans could take almost any physical form, but the vast majority of designs are either bipedal or quadrupedal. There is nothing that says a cytran need be human-sized, or even look anything like a human. *Although a cytran could have a machine-like external appearance, conventional wisdom is to design them with a more "natural" look, so that they can more easily interact with their human counterparts. To this end, modern animatronic techniques will be used to create a very life-like external appearance. Ultimately, the design and appearance is entirely up to the individual being transplanted, and extensive customization is quite possible. *FedCom has already developed a number of designs for cytrans. Presently, the three most popular designs are models that outwardly appear human, models that resemble dragons, and models that are a humanoid blend of the two. Other designs include centauroid creatures (called "taurs"), and designs that are distinctly non-humanoid. Impact on FedCom Society The promise of cytran technology has had an enormous impact on FedCom society. With citizens facing the prospect of living for several centuries, timetables have been extended and territorial ambitions have been slashed. The emphasis on the military has been reduced, in the hopes of setting a precedent for long-term peace. Eco-friendliness and sustainability have emerged as dominant issues, which are redefining FedCom architecture and industrial engineering. The FedCom of today is friendlier and more approachable than ever before. It is the hope of all FedCom citizens that cytrans will be accepted by their human counterparts around the world, and embraced as equals (thus, the concept of human rights is extended to all sapient beings in FedCom society, and is not restricted by the narrow definition of what is or isn't "human"). Within FedCom, all cytrans are "persons" before the law, though different species groups have their own sets of laws, legal systems, social norms, and morality. The concern that cytrans will not be readily accepted as equals by traditional human society has added fuel to FedCom's drive for independence. The possibility of cytrans being marginalized, stripped of their rights, or discriminated against is a major concern for FedCom's government. With no assurances regarding any kind of representation or legal protection for cytrans in any other macronation, FedCom believes that it must be a sovereign state in order to properly guarantee and protect the rights of its future cytran population. Cytran technology, and the right to develop it without interference by outsiders, has thus become a major rallying point for FedCom sovereignty. Additional Information * FedCom's website has an entire section devoted to explaining the project in detail. However, the website is currently being heavily revised and reconstructed, so it has not been updated in a while. The newest data can be found on FedCom's message board. * Citizens of FedCom can review the entire program on FedCom's message board, in this section (unavailable to outlanders). * Visitors can ask questions about FedCom and their projects (including cytrans) in this section of their message boards. No forum registration is required to post messages in that section. More information about the project may be gleaned from other locations around the internet, such as: * A discussion on the MNeu forum of some of the basic technology behind the project is here. * A more in-depth discussion on MNeu of the matter can be found here. * The technology is mentioned several times in FedCom's newsletters. However, the project is an evolving research program, and information in these additional sources may no longer reflect current facts. Sci-Fi depictions of cytrans * The novel "Reborn", written by Ryan Ashkoort (a citizen and patriot of FedCom) is publicly published, and available in its entirety here. The events in the story are purely conjectural fiction, but the book provides an extremely accurate depiction of cytran technology, some of FedCom's culture, Malatora island, and the vision of the future world FedCom seeks to build (as it might appear in the 2050's). The book will put you in the shoes of a cytran, and show you a firsthand account of what would probably happen if FedCom is challenged by hostile forces; as such, it stands as a warning to those who would deny FedCom the right to exist in peace. * The FedCom-only series of novels that are collectively called "Eyes of the Dragons" is a modernized re-write of Reborn, bringing the depiction of cytrans up-to-date with the latest designs and improvements. It is available for all Malatorans to read, though the 9 books in the series are presently incomplete. Category:FedCom